Highlighting the very best of Alberta’s wilderness

The popular series Let’s Go Outdoors is coming to print

If you’re an Albertan who has yet to discover the gem that is Let’s Go Outdoors via radio, TV vignettes or YouTube videos, know this: you’re in for a treat.

Equal parts informative and entertaining, the series dedicated to the great outdoors will be featured bi-monthly in the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald print versions (video vignettes and daily audio stories will also be broadcast via each paper’s respective website), and like the show’s existing media platforms, will deliver the most fascinating real-life adventures our breathtaking province has to offer.

For the uninitiated, Let’s Go Outdoors is the brainchild of news reporter-turned-outdoor expert Michael Short, who has made it his mission to unearth the wilderness information and endeavours most relevant to Albertans in an engaging “news” format. And with 30+ years of experience under his belt – 15 of them with the LGO series – he knows what he’s talking about.

“I have travelled this province perhaps more than most, and not as much as others,” he says. “I’ve discovered time and time again that our landscape still holds many surprises in terms of various habitats and the critters that call these places home.”

Yet as important as our natural world is, Short says it’s the stories of those who interact with it that he will spend much of his efforts on. “My hope [in bringing Let’s Go Outdoors to the digital platform] is to share experiences from across the province, and hopefully impart a sense of pride, that while there are many challenges facing our natural areas, there are also some very inspirational people and organizations that are playing a pivotal role in enhancing our outdoor experiences.”

In some instances, that may include a profile on the biologists of the Alberta Conservation Association and the outdoor courses run by the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association. For others, it could mean interviewing one of the half dozen outdoor conservation-based groups doing their part to ensure Alberta retains its reputation as a province “that offers a wilderness opportunity to those who are seeking to get off the beaten path,” he says.

“I’m a firm believer that the more people we have engaged in our wild places, the brighter the future is when it comes to ensuring these areas will be enjoyed by the next generation and the one after that,” he says.

And on that topic, he offers this advanced apology: “I will seek your forgiveness ahead of time should I happen to mention a favourite fishing spot or a great scenic camping location, as it’s done in the spirit of truly wanting to share the entire province with those who are wanting to take up that specific outdoor pursuit or just wanting to drive through the wilderness.”

“So with that I hope you will join me in the weeks to come as we lace up our boots and Let’s Go Outdoors!”